


Wildfire

by 70SecretKinks



Series: Fall Fic Drabbles [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Author has little to no actual knowledge of the firefighting process and/or gear protocol, Crush at First Sight, Fire Chief!Nick Fury, Firefighter!Bucky Barnes, Firefighter!Natasha Romanoff, Firefighter!Steve Rogers, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute of sorts, Plot Devices, Rookie!Steve Rogers, Snoopy lives, Suspend your beliefs in the name of love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-07-07 03:59:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15900459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/70SecretKinks/pseuds/70SecretKinks
Summary: No amount of training in the world could prepare rookie firefighter Steve Rogers for the force and fury of a California wildfire. But even a sea of fiery flames paled in comparison to hot-as-hell fellow fireman, Bucky Barnes.





	Wildfire

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was beta'd by the incomparable NurseDarry. You are an absolute gem and I adore you!!!

No amount of training in the world could prepare rookie firefighter Steve Rogers for the force of nature’s fury in the form of a California wildfire. Acres of blazing flame; majestic trees turning to tinder, distraught homeowners watching their hard-earned dwellings and memories going up in smoke. It was a terrible, daunting job, but one he’d willingly and eagerly volunteered for. After his childhood home had been razed to the ground by an electrical fire in the middle of the night, he couldn’t imagine anything he’d rather be doing.

Still, as the wildfire spread like a metastasizing cancer in a weakened body, Steve couldn’t help feeling as hopeless as the residents whom he’d just forced from their beloved homes. He was just about to do a final sweep of the neighborhood when he heard it.

“Snoopy! Snoopy! Come on Snoops! Where are you boy?”

Steve turned to see a panic-stricken teenage boy calling out for his missing dog.

“Hey!” Steve called. When the boy turned and saw Steve, his face crumpled in agony.

“My dog,” the boy said. “I thought my mom had ‘im but she doesn’t. Please, he’s a mutt. Black head, white body; ‘bout the size of a small beagle.”

Steve nodded and radioed to the team to see if anyone had found a dog. “I’ll look for him,” Steve promised. “But I need you to get out of here. The wind’s kicked up from the west, and the flames are advancing quickly.”

“Please,” the boy implored as tears streaked down his face. “He’s my best friend.”

“What’s his name again?” Steve asked.

“Snoopy. Like the Peanuts dog.”

“Good name,” Steve said with his best reassuring smile. “A little fire can’t take the Red Baron down.”

The kid nodded; a flicker of hope in his eyes. “Thank you.”

***

“Goddammit Rogers! Rogers? You copy? This is your chief speaking. Report!”

Chief Fury paced back and forth at the makeshift command center they’d set up near the edge of the encroaching blaze. The radio crackled with static.

And then, “Chief…half mile northea…secured canine victim…”

“Get your dumbass back here, Rogers. That’s an order!”

More static. The team heard the crack of a massive tree giving way and turned to stare at the radio.

Steve hugged the trembling dog to his chest and did his best to weave them to safety through the flaming forest.

“Tree down…no clear exit path,” Steve managed to report between labored breaths and coughs. 

If there really was a Hell, Steve thought, this must be it. And now he and the shaggy pup in his arms were more than likely going to die there. They were trapped. Encircled by an incessant wave of roaring flames, glowing embers, and blistering heat. Steve’s turnout gear felt suddenly too tight and heavy; his air supply too thin. The roar of the wildfire had started to fade; replaced by the pounding rhythm of his rapidly beating heart. The forest seemed to be flowing around him; a smoldering river of red, orange and yellow. And then everything faded to black.

***

Bucky’s company had just arrived on the scene to aid with containment and evac. It’d been a long few weeks, and this was his fourth double-shift in as many days. He was tired, hungry, cranky, and absolutely in no mood to deal with this shit.

Some stupid-ass rookie with good intentions, limited experience, and an obvious hero complex had apparently gone on an unsanctioned solo mission to save some mutt from a fiery end.

Bucky wiped his hand down his face and listened to the angry chief yell into the radio. “Anyone got a twenty on Rogers? Wilson, report.”

More static. “His GPS tracker is static. I think he’s down, but I can’t reach him,” Wilson replied. 

Every firefighter in earshot could hear the thinly veiled terror in his voice.

Bucky looked at Romanoff and nodded towards the back of their truck. She nodded back in silent understanding before the pair quickly and quietly secured their gear. Bucky pulled the biggest pickaxe they had from its harness and tested its heft in his gloved grip.

“We’ll be back in five,” was the only warning Bucky supplied before he and Romanoff ran off as fast as they could into the blaze.

“Barnes! Romanoff!” Chief Fury called after him. “Be careful!”

***

Bucky followed the sound of frantic barking through the din of crackling flames. “Over there!” he pointed for his partner. The dog stood loyally by the fallen firefighter, his whole body shaking with fear as he continued to howl and whine. Bucky slung the axe into a holster at his side.

“I’ve got the pooch,” Natasha said, bending down to scoop the grateful dog up into her arms.

“No shit,” Bucky huffed as he squatted down next to his tall, beefy brother-in-arms. Bucky did a quick vitals check and reported in.

“Chief, this is Barnes. We’ve got ‘em. The dog  _ and _ your big-ass rookie. Vitals are steady but have an EMT ready.”

“Copy that,” Fury replied.

“Okay, hero,” Bucky muttered with a grunt as he jostled Rogers into his arms. “I’ve gotcha.”

***

Steve came to coughing and wheezing; brilliant blue eyes standing in stark contrast with his soot-blackened face. Damn, he was dumb, but pretty Bucky thought. Steve blinked a few more times, staring searchingly into Bucky’s eyes.

“Are you…am I?” Steve stuttered before trying to swallow around the desert dryness in his throat.

“Take it easy pal,” Bucky said, tipping a water bottle to Steve’s plump, cracked lips. “Drink.”

He took a few eager sips before he let his eyes drift closed once more. Bucky wondered if maybe he’d slipped out of consciousness again and turned to ask the EMT when Steve grabbed his arm and smiled up at him dreamily.

“If I’m dead, I just want to say ‘thank you’ for taking me to heaven, Angel. I think I might love you.”

Bucky snorted with laughter in an attempt to cover the burning in his cheeks and the fluttering in his heart.

“Did anyone check for head trauma?” Fury asked with a huff. “You’re lucky to be alive and kicking. But Barnes here is far from ‘angelic’.”

Bucky nodded in agreement and gave Steve what he hoped was an open, sexy grin.

As the fog cleared from Steve’s eyes, Bucky watched in amusement as the blush that began to pink Steve’s cheeks, progressed like its own wildfire beneath his skin down his long, pale neck.

“Snoopy!” Steve shouted, suddenly bolting upright on the gurney. He turned wild eyes on Bucky. “Did you get the dog?”

Just then, the kid who’d implored Steve for his aid stepped up hugging Snoopy tightly to his chest. His mother stood gratefully by their side.

“You saved him,” the kid said with watery eyes. Snoopy wiggled and whined until the boy put him within reach of Steve. The little dog all but jumped onto Steve’s chest, stretching in his owner’s arms to lick Steve’s face. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t.”

“You saved them both,” the boy’s mother said, laying a hand on Steve’s arm. “Thank you.”

“I was just doing my job, ma’am,” Steve replied sheepishly. “But you should probably…”

“Head somewhere safe,” Bucky interrupted. “We’re very glad you’re all alright.” Bucky gave Snoopy a quick scratch behind the ears and turned to give Steve a wink. “Now if you’ll excuse us, Firefighter Rogers here needs to get some rest and I need to get back to work.”

The family reiterated their heartfelt thanks and took their leave.

Bucky waited until they were nearly out of sight before turning back to Steve.

“You gonna be okay, rook?”

“Thanks to you,” Steve answered. “You’re the real hero, y’know? I tried to tell those people but…”

“So it’s hero now, huh?” Bucky teased. “A few minutes ago I was an  _ angel _ .”

Steve gaped, opening his mouth as if to reply and snapping it shut just as quickly; apparently at a loss of words.

“Neither one is bad, mind you,” Bucky continued without pause, “but I think I like the sound of the second one better.”

“Y-you do?” Steve asked.

“You also said you might be  _ in love _ with Barnes,” Chief Fury chimed in, much to Steve’s chagrin and Bucky’s delight.

Steve buried his face in his hands and groaned into his palms.

“What can I say?” Bucky said with a chuckle. “I’m a lovable guy.”

Chief Fury rolled his eyes. “On that note, could you please just ask Rogers out already and get back on the line? In case you’ve forgotten, there’s a bit of a blaze that needs to be extinguished.”

The hopeful look he caught in Steve’s eyes made Bucky’s heart do that flutter thing again.

“Ummm…right.” Bucky bit his bottom lip and tried to look more confident than he felt. “So whatdya say, Steve? Would you like to go out with me sometime?”

Bucky could definitely get used to seeing the warm, beautiful smile that lit up Steve’s sullied face.

“Wildfire couldn’t keep me away.”

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> So, thanks for reading this. It's been awhile since I've written or posted anything so I've decided to try and get back on the proverbial horse by drafting a series of independent drabbles during my favorite time of year. Situations and ratings will vary but the pairing will stay the same. Don't you just love Stucky in the Fall? I sure do!
> 
> I know everyone says this but kudos and comments truly are the elixir of life. I'd love to hear from you!


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